Board plans slate of 2014 projects

COOKS – The Big Bay de Noc Board of Education has approved a slate of projects to be completed during the summer of 2014. Funding for the projects will be taken out of the school’s sinking fund.

According to Superintendent Ken Groh, the projects include the replacement of the school’s septic tank and sidewalks surrounding the building, the installation of additional security cameras inside the building, the replacement of some of the school’s interior doors, and the ‘rekeying’ of the entire building.

The projects are expected to cost approximately $280,000 from the taxpayer-funded sinking fund. As of June 30, 2014, that fund is expected to have around $469,000 from which the project costs will be withdrawn,

The boards’ facilities committee, which consists of three school board members, chose and recommended which projects to work on this school year, Groh noted.

In other business, Toni Rozich, of Manistique, was hired as the school’s drama advisor. The drama club consists of students from grades 7-12, Groh explained, and plans to put on a production in April.

There was no drama club in the 2012-13 school year, he added, since the previous advisors decided to leave their positions.

“The kids are interested in it and the community is interested in it,” Groh said.

The board also reviewed an updated School Emergency Response Team Plan, which hadn’t been updated thoroughly since 2000.

“We did make some major changes in terms of addressing problems which may occur with chemical, biological or nuclear attacks,” Groh explained. “These things weren’t thought out in 2000.”